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Episode 01 - Introduction to Military Special Forces

26 Min 00 Sec

“Special Operations” are special divisions of military, police or intelligence services that are highly qualified in specific areas of urban warfare and in a variety of special weapons and technology. Over the past forty years, all of the world’s superpowers have built up these groups in order to better fight wars, to counter terrorism and to conduct high-stakes police actions. This episode examines the history of such organisations, from the Green Berets, WWII paratroopers and naval special warfare units through to the Seal Team 6, the British SAS, and private contractors, including Black Water and Brown and Root. Showing how these operators are trained, how they plan, and what weaponry and tactical gear they use, the introductory episode of CQB provides viewers with a fast-paced overview of the techniques, strategies and equipment that have been successfully used by Military Special Operations.

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Episode 02 - Introduction to Police Special Operations

26 Min 02 Sec

As warfare has evolved, many military techniques and technologies have been adapted for use in urban settings by police units around the world. This episode provides viewers with an intimate perspective on what it feels like to be “inside the heads” of special police personnel, and how their use of military-style strategies and equipment allows them to save lives. From riot control in South Africa and the lessons learned from its excesses, to Los Angeles Police Chief Robert Gates’ creation of an elite police S.W.A.T team, CQB will showcase how, over the past 30 years, the fight against urban crime has evolved into a military scenario, with both sides using increasingly complex weaponry and tactics.

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Episode 03 - Russian Army in Chechnya

26 Min 02 Sec

After the fall of the soviet union many countries remained in dispute in the early nineties despite eastern Europe‘s independence. In 1994 a bitter conflict broke out between the forces of the Chechen independence movement and the Russian regular army. Despite overwhelming manpower, weaponry and air support, the Russian forces were unable to establish effective permanent control over the mountainous area due to many successful Chechen guerrilla raids. Improvised Explosive Devices were one of the most effective methods employed in these disastrous raids and were the back drop to many Close Quarter Battle scenarios exchanged between the two sides.

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Episode 04 - SAS in Northern Ireland

26 Min 01 Sec

The history of the British Empire colonial legacy in Northern Ireland is well known the world over but a there is a largely untold story of the the firefights between and close quarter battles exchanged between the provisional IRA, the British army and the elite SAS. Although the IRA often employed „terrorist“ techniques within the city of London and on England‘s mainland not much is said of the often guerilla warfare techniques of the British Special Air Service in Northern Ireland since the beginning of this conflict. In this episode we will examine how the history of the Special Air Service affected the training of every elite force after it and how the close quarter battles in Northern Ireland in the late 1970s through to the millennium shaped both special forces and resistance methods.

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Episode 05 - Delta Prison Rescue Operation

26 Min 01 Sec

In 1989, CIA operative Kurt Muse was imprisoned at the notorious Carcel Modelo in Panama for his role in organizing radio transmissions against dictator Manuel Noriega. That December, an elite group of the US Delta Force breached the roof of the prison, and one of the most daring close quarter battle operations in history began. From the dramatic helicopter crash and wounding of several Delta operators to the extraction of the entire team by the 5th Infantry Division, this is prime material for CQB analysis. In this episode, CQB recreates the raid, focusing on the “sub-second” reflexes of the Delta Force team from the moment they entered the prison to their extraction from the roof of the prison by an MH-6 “Little Bird” helicopter.

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Episode 06 - Snipers and Scout

26 Min 01 Sec

Joint Task Force Two (JTF 2) is the elite Canadian Forces Special Operations unit responsible for a broad range of missions, including counter-terrorism and armed assistance to other government departments. Highly secretive, JTF 2 and its predecessor, the Canadian Airborne Regiment, have been deployed in hotspots around the world from Haiti to Bosnia. This episode focuses on the legendary JTF sniper teams and their use in Afghanistan alongside the British SAS and the US Delta Force at “the sharp end of the spear.” A book written by an ex-JTF member explains how, in 2006, both the Pentagon and the British Foreign Office noted the instrumental role that JTF 2 played in the rescue of the British and Canadian Christian Peacemaker Team held hostage in Iraq. Unique in look, the FN P90 personal defense weapon, used by JTF 2 soldiers and special police around the world, will be highlighted in this program.

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Episode 07 - S.W.A.T.

26 Min 01 Sec

In 1968, a new form of military policing was being developed in a rural area north of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Police Department sent an observer to this unit, and he, in turn, took this knowledge back to the LAPD. This contributed to the development of the department’s first Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) team. This CQB episode takes an historical journey to examine how this incident affected and changed police tactics around the world. Using CQB’s trademark “sub-second” analysis, the program also looks at how police S.W.A.T. teams train, plan and equip themselves for the challenges of urban combat. The dramatization of a 1980s S.W.A.T. siege of a gang safe-house demonstrates the complicated challenge of protecting innocent people who might be caught in the line of fi re, as well as the specifics of the squad’s training regimen, how they communicated, and the special equipment they used.

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Episode 08 - Hunting Sarajevo Snipers

26 Min 01 Sec

The Bosnian War was an extraordinarily complex event, with many layers of military involvement including NATO forces, national militaries, irregular paramilitary forces, mujahedeen revolutionaries, private security companies, and international intelligence personnel. One tactic in particular struck fear into the hearts of the military and civilians alike: the use of snipers positioned in high buildings. This edition of CQB investigates this specific combat technique and how it was countered by opposing forces. Taking viewers inside a “sniper‘s den,” the program explains how this tactic was so successfully used by rebel forces – and how traditional military techniques evolved to combat it.

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Episode 09 - Private Military Contractors

26 Min 01 Sec

The practice of hiring private armies goes back to ancient times, and the mystique associated with the mercenary warrior has been the subject of many historical studies and fictional characterizations. This episode of CQB takes a more contemporary look at a day in the life of a group of civilian contractors, and how their role has evolved on the modern battlefield. Using its “sub-second” analysis techniques and intimate first-person footage, CQB reveals the backgrounds, training and equipment of today’s “soldiers for hire” and how private armies are re-shaping the way conflicts are conducted around the world.

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Episode 10 - Close Protection

26 Min 01 Sec

From the elite ex-special forces personnel in charge of guarding heads of state in conflict zones to the two-person teams that protect CEOs in dangerous regions, modern day bodyguards must be well versed in close quarter battle techniques. An immense amount of planning and preparation is involved in each operation. From air travel, car convoys and helicopter shuttles to basic foot traffic, a close protection squad must be completely tuned to the Who, What, Where and When of any given situation. This episode of CQB focuses on the complex day-to-day and minute-to-minute operations of these elite teams and the highly developed techniques they employ.

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Episode 11 - Counter Terrorism

26 Min 01 Sec

Following the September 11 attacks, military presence became commonplace in New York and other American cities, and the counter terrorism forces were effectively given a “blank cheque” when it came to ensuring that another terrorist incident would never take place on American soil. This episode of CQB takes an in–depth look at who was selected to occupy elite anti-terrorist positions, what they were trained for, and how they were equipped: when opposing forces are using commercial airliners and chemical weapons, countermeasures are by necessity complicated and varied. CQB takes an intimate look at what it was like to be an officer on alert for chemical attacks in Washington DC, or an army reservist monitoring suspicious activities on the streets of NYC.

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Episode 12 - French Foreign Legion

26 Min 01 Sec

No country other than France operates an elite military force that invites foreign nationals to serve in its ranks. With a reputation for being a safe haven for individuals with questionable pasts, the French Foreign Legion is a true mercenary army that has garnered significant respect within the global special operations community. This episode of CQB examines a raid by the Foreign Legion on a small airport in Iraq during the 1990 Gulf War, exploring the nature of the Legion, how it differs from other special forces, and how it prepares for a wide variety of close quarter battle scenarios in conflict situations around the world.

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Episode 13 - Hunt and Capture Saddam Hussein

26 Min 01 Sec

Ten years ago, thousands of US and Coalition forces personnel, ranging from elite soldiers to reservists, found themselves in the middle of two conflicts that required an entirely different approach to warfare than they had previously experienced. From special forces units securing vital points of strategic interest and capturing key individuals in Afghanistan. This episode of CQB takes a close look at how special operations were integrated into regular units and how they fought through many close quarter combat situations with a combination of intelligence, high-tech weaponry and surveillance technologies to find and capture Saddam Hussein.